Proposed reforms do more to curb the power of the former president than of the presidency itself
Save time by listening to our audio articles as you multitaskFive months down the line, Mr Tokayev is keen to show that he has been listening. On June 5th Kazakhstanis will vote in a referendum on wide-ranging constitutional reforms that he hopes will reset relations between the state and its citizens. He promises to build a “new Kazakhstan”, which he bills as a “second republic”.
The referendum is a yes-or-no affair covering a package of 56 measures, some of which are so arcane that even the president’s allies admit that ordinary voters may not grasp them. One is to replace the constitutional council with a constitutional court; another is to turn the budget-control committee into an audit chamber. The reforms will almost certainly pass. The choice is between retaining a much-disliked status quo and choosing change, however limited.
Mr Tokayev wants to transform what he calls the “super-presidential” system established by Mr Nazarbayev into one with greater checks and balances. Central to this is the removal of all mention of Mr Nazarbayev from the constitution. He will lose, including immunity from prosecution and the right to rule in tandem with Mr Tokayev. Close presidential relatives will be banned from holding senior public positions.
Yet the reforms do more to curb the power of the ex-president than of the presidency itself. Mr Tokayev will still appoint the prime minister, cabinet members, security chiefs and the heads of the central bank and constitutional court. It is true that he will lose the right to strike down statutes passed by local mayors and governors. But they are his appointees.
Mr Tokayev says his new Kazakhstan will offer a more level political playing field. He is adamant he wants the next election—which is due in 2026 but may be called early—to deliver a more robust parliament under a reformed electoral system. The president and many other officials will be barred from joining political parties. He also promises to make it easier to form parties. The number of signatures needed to support an application will fall from 20,000 to 5,000.
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